Assembly for clutches and brakes



pril 20, 1948. T. L.. FAwlcK ASSEMBLY Fon cLuTcrms AND BRAKES Fired April 26, 1944 /M/fA/rop www Patented Apr. 20, 1948 ASSEMBLY FOR CLUTCHES AND BRAKES Thomas L. Fawick, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Fawick Airiiex Company, Inc., a corporation of Application April 26,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to assemblies suitable for use as clutches or brakes. Some subject matter disclosed in this application is more broadly claimed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,307,456, granted January 5, 1943.

Its chief objects are to provide a strong, durable and dependable structure; to provide compactness of structure and economy of construction; to provide facility of assembly and disassembly; and to provide a desirable cushioning of the torque and substantial flexible-coupling characteristics.-

More specific objects are to provide for firm anchorage of a torque-sustaining member comprising rubber or the like; to provide in an improved manner for sustension of centrifugal force by a deformable, uid-distended, actuating member; and to provide for effective cooling of frictional-engagement surfaces.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with the lower half in section, on the medial, axial plane, of an assembly embodying my invention in its vpreferred form.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a bead portion of a diaphragm member, on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, the assembly, here shown as adapted for use as a clutch, comprises a shaft I0, which can be considered as the driving shaft, and a shaft I I, substantially coaxial with it, which can be considered as the driven shaft.

On the shaft I is secured, by means of a retaining head I2, a bell-shaped structure comprising a disc-shaped member I3 constrained to rotate with the shaft I0, an outer peripheral annular member I4 secured to the member I3 by bolts such as the bolt I5, and an annular disclike member I6 secured to the member I4 by bolts such as the bolt I'I and projecting radially inward to its unattached inner periphery, which is radially spaced a substantial distance from the structure that it surrounds, so that there is anannular space I8 for intake of cooling air, the member I6 being formed with a radially disposed, annular frictional-engagement face I9 and with a circumferential series of air-outlet holes, such as the hole 20, radially outward from the frictional-engagementface I9.

The member I3 is formed with a radially disposed, annular, frictional-engagement face 2| and with air-inlet holes 22 radially inward from said face and air-outlet holes 23 radially outward from said face.

Secured against relative rotation upon the shaft II, by a retaining head 24, is a clutch-disc mem- 1944, Serial No. 532,761 (Cl. 192-88) ber 25 having a radial, plate-like portion 25EL positioned midway between the frictional-engagement faces I9 and 2 I of the bell-shaped structure, and on the opposite' faces of the member 25 are mounted respective fiuid-distensible diaphragms 26, 26, preferably of cord-reinforced rubber, each of which has mounted upon its axiallyouter face an annular wear-shoe member 2l, or a circumferential seriesof wear shoes, adapted for frictional-engagement with the adjacent one of the frictional-engagement faces I9, 2I of the bell-shaped structure upon fluid distension ofthe diaphragm members.

To provide for such fluid distension, and for venting of the fluid for disengagement of thefriction faces, the shaft II is formed with a fluid passage 28 which leads, through passages 29, 30, 3l, 32 in the member 25, to the interfaces between the member- 25 and the respective| diaphragms.

At their outer peripheries the diaphragms 26 are formed with beads reinforcedv by circumferential bead-core cords 26HL or the like and are sealed to the member 25a by being clamped against it by respective annular clamps 33, 33 which are of L-shape in cross-section and are fixed in clamping position by an annular weld 34while they are held abutted against a low annular flange 35 on the member 25, the proportions being such that in that position they firmly clamp the beads of the diaphragms.

To increase the torque-sustaining grip of the diaphragms against the member 25a the latter preferably is formed with fields of Adimples 36, 36 for the forcing of the rubber into the dimples by the clamping pressure.

The meeting faces of the diaphragms beads and the clamps are so non-radial that the beads are pocketed, so to speak, between the clamps and the member 25B, and this permits the application of a strong clamping pressure without substantial escape of rubber from between the two clamping members, and thus provides a very strong anchorage of the diaphragms for sustension of torque.

The construction at the inner peripheries of the diaphragm corresponds substantially to that just described with respect to their outer peripheries except that the annular clamps, 33, 33a, are held in clamping position by bolts such as the bolt 31 instead of` by welding because welding would be less feasible at that position. Y

For uniformity of pressure throughout the frictional-engagement surfaces the wear shoe mem- 56 bers 21 can be interrupted by a series of radial cuts, as at il, so that a circumferential series of segmental wear-shoes is "provided, and in that case it is desirable to make special provision for sustaining the centrifugal force ci the wear shoes.

In the present embodiment this is done by interposing between the diaphragm 2i and each wear shoe 2l, and securing it to both of them by vulcanized adhesion, an annular metal plate It formed at its outer margin with a laterally projecting marginal ange which is interlocked with the wear shoe against centrifugal force.

The-structure as described provides the several l advantages that are set out in the above statement of objects and various modiilcations are possible without sacrihce oi all of such advantages andJvithout departure from the `scope o phragm structure backed by the said annular face oi the rigid member and having a portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and for compensating for misalignment, the chief material of said portion having substantially the resilient deformability of vulcanized soit-rubber. said diaphragm structure being adapted to. be distended into engagement with said frictional-engagement face, and means for conducting distending iiuid to and from said diaphragm structure. 2. An assembly comprising two relatively rotatable s'tructures so Journaled as to be subject to misalignment of their axes, said structures being adapted for frictional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures having an annular, frlctional-engagement face dis'- posed at least approximately at right-angles to the axis of rotation and the other comprising a rigid 4member having an annular face confronting the said frictional-engagement face, an annular diaphragm structure backed by the said annular face of the rigid member and secured thereto at least at its inner periphery and having a portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and for compensating for misalignment, the chief material of said portion having substantially the resilient deformability oi vulcanized soft-rubber, said diaphragm structure lbeing adapted to be distended into engagement with said frictionalengagement' face, and means for conducting distending iiuid to and from said diaphragm structure.

3. An assembiycomprising two relatively rotatable structures so journaled as to be subject to misalignment of their axes. said structures being adapted for irictional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one oi said structures having a pair of irictional engagement faces deiining an annular space between them and the other comprising a rigid member extending into said space, diaphragm means on said rigid member adapted to be distended into engagement with the 4 vmaterial of said portion having resilient deiormability of vulcanized soft-rubber.

4. An assembly comprising two relatively rotatable structuresvso iournaled as to be subject to v misalignment of their axes, said structures being adapted for frlctional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures having a pair of irictional engagement faces defining an annular space between them and the other comprising a rigid member extending into said space, a pair of diaphragm structures on opposite sides of and backed by said rigid member and adapted 'to be distended into engagement with said frictlonal engagement surfaces respectively, each of said diaphragm members having a portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and lfor compensating for misalignment. the chief masaid frictional-engagement faces, and means for n and for compensating for misalignment, the chief terial of said portion having substantially the resilient deformability of vulcanized soft-rubber, and means for conducting distending iluid to and from said diaphragm members.

5. An assembly comprising two relatively rotatable structures so iournaled as to be subject to misalignment of their axes,l said structures being adapted for irictional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other. .one of said structures having a pair of frictional engagement faces deilning an annular space between them and the other comprising a. rigid member extending into said space, a pair of diaphragm structures on opposite sides of and backed by said rigid member and adapted to be distended into engagement with said frictional engagement surfaces'respectively, each of said diaphragm members having a. portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and for compensatingffor misalignment, the chief material of said portion having substantially the resilient deformabllity of vulcanized soft-rubber, and means for conducting distending fluid to and from said diaphragm member, each or said diaphragm members comprising a sheet of material secured and sealed at its opposite margins to said rigid member and therewith defining a, iiuid-receiving chamber.

6. An assembly comprising two relatively rotatable struotures so journaled as to be subiect to misalignment of their axes, said structures being adapted for frictional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures having a frictional engagement face disposed at least approximately at right-angles to the axis of rotation and the other comprising a rigid member having a face confronting the said frictional-engagement face. a single-walled diaphragmstructure backed by and secured and sealed to said rigid member and therewith deiining a fluid-receiving chamber. said diaphragm structure being adapted to he distendedinto engagement with said frictional-engagement face and having a portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and for `compensating for misalignment, the chief material of said portion having substantially the resilient deformability of vulcanized soft-rubber, and means for conducting pressure fluid to and from said diaphragm structure.

7. An assembly comprising two relatively rotatable structures so iournaled as to be subject to misalignment of their axes, said structures being adapted for frictional, torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures having a frictional engagement face disposed at least approximately at right-angles to the axis of rotation andA the other comprising a rigid member having a face confronting the said irictional-engagement face, a single-walled diaphragm struc.

substantially the ture backed by and secured and sealed to said rigid member and therewith defining a uidreceiving chamber, said diaphragm structure being adapted to be distended into engagement with said frictional-engagement face and having a portion for cushioning and sustaining the torque and for compensating for misalignment, the chief material of said portion having substantially the resilient deformability of vulcanized soft-rubber, and means for conducting pressure fluid to and from said diaphragm structure, the .diaphragm structure being formed with a bead at its margin and the ,assembly including means for clamping the bead.

THOMAS L. FAWICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the leof this patent:

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